Trump Signs Orders Expanding Hunting, Fishing Access on Public Lands

President Donald Trump signed two executive orders Thursday aimed at expanding access to public lands for hunting and offshore recreational fishing.

Trump signed the orders before hosting a White House Rose Garden dinner attended by more than 100 representatives from outdoor organizations, including the NRA, Bass Pro Shops and USA Shooting Foundation.

“We believe that public lands belong to the American people and to the public, and hunters, fishers, and outdoorsmen should be able to access them, and they weren’t able to,” Trump told the crowd.

Orders Reverse Those of Previous Administration

The first order expands hunting access on federal lands, permits traditional lead ammunition and tackle use on some federal lands — reversing Biden administration restrictions — and directs agencies to cultivate hunting traditions among youth and veterans.

The second order directs agencies to review regulations burdening boaters, anglers and outdoor businesses, transitions to mobile catch reporting apps for real-time data accuracy, and establishes programs to convert decommissioned oil and gas structures into artificial reefs.

The White House said the changes will expand fishing seasons and fishing quotas.

The Firearm Industry Trade Association worked with the White House and the Department of the Interior to craft the policy and called it “a victory for today’s hunters and future generations.”

The orders build on Trump’s first-term achievements, including the Great American Outdoors Act, which designated 1.3 million new wilderness acres and expanded hunting and fishing on 2.3 million acres.